Perinatal & Prenatal Counseling for Couples in Nashville

Strengthen Your Relationship Before and After Baby Arrives

Becoming parents changes everything—in beautiful, life-giving ways, and in deeply challenging ones too. The truth is, most couples aren’t fully prepared for how this transition will impact their relationship. And that’s okay.

Perinatal couples counseling offers the support and tools you need to move into parenthood with more connection, intention, and emotional strength. Whether you’re in Nashville or anywhere in Tennessee, we help you prepare for this life transition so you can thrive - not just survive - through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Through Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), we help couples explore their dynamic, prepare for common stressors, and build the emotional safety needed to weather the ups and downs of parenthood. This is more than planning for baby - it’s preparing your relationship for the journey ahead.

This work is a vital part of perinatal mental health - caring for your emotional well-being as individuals and as a couple during pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

Why the Transition to Parenthood Can Be So Challenging

Many people picture the transition to parenthood as a time filled with joy, nesting, and tiny onesies. And while those moments are real, so are the sleepless nights, shifting identities, unmet expectations, and overwhelmed emotions.

Research shows that:

  • 75 - 80% of couples report a decline in relationship satisfaction in the first year after baby is born (Cowan & Cowan, 2000)

  • The postpartum period is one of the most emotionally vulnerable times in a person’s life

  • Emotional disconnection between partners is a major risk factor for postpartum depression and anxiety - for both parents

This is why perinatal mental health counseling matters. Investing in your relationship before baby arrives can make a lasting difference for both you and your child.

What is perinatal & prenatal couples counseling?

Perinatal counseling is a form of couples therapy focused on preparing for the emotional and relational changes that come with becoming parents. It’s a space to talk honestly about fears, expectations, dreams, and the parts of your relationship that feel strong - or a little shaky.

We use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help couples understand their deeper emotions and build a stronger, safer bond - especially during times of stress or change.

This isn’t about being “perfect parents” or having all the answers. It’s about being emotionally accessible, responsive, and engaged with each other - so that when challenges arise (and they will), you feel like you’re facing them as a team.

How Perinatal Counseling Supports Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

When we talk about perinatal mental health, we’re referring to the emotional well-being of both parents during pregnancy and the first year postpartum. While much of the focus tends to be on birthing parents, both partners can experience stress, anxiety, mood changes, and relational strain during this time.

Prenatal and perinatal couples counseling helps by:

  • Strengthening your emotional connection so you feel less alone in the journey

  • Giving you tools to manage conflict and stress before they escalate

  • Helping you navigate changing roles and expectations

  • Reducing emotional isolation that can contribute to postpartum depression or anxiety

  • Creating a safe space to talk about fears, loss, identity shifts, or past trauma

When your relationship is strong and emotionally safe, it becomes a source of resilience for both you and your baby.

What is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for expectant parents?

Emotionally Focused Therapy is a proven, evidence-based approach to couples counseling that focuses on adult attachment - the basic human need to feel safe, secure, and emotionally connected to our partner.

EFT doesn’t just treat the symptoms (like fighting or withdrawing) - it gets to the root of what’s happening beneath the surface.

In the context of perinatal counseling, EFT helps couples:

  • Recognize how stress shows up in their relationship

  • Express emotional needs in clear, non-blaming ways

  • Respond to each other with more empathy and support

  • Create a deeper sense of emotional safety and trust

These skills are invaluable during pregnancy and postpartum, when emotions run high, time is short, and connection can easily slip away.

Topics We May Explore in Perinatal & Prenatal Couples Therapy

Every couple is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. That said, here are common areas we explore:

Communication Styles

  • How do you each express your needs
    or feelings?

  • What happens when you disagree or feel overwhelmed?

  • How can we build safer, more open conversations?

Emotional Patterns

  • What “triggers” cause disconnection?

  • How can you recognize and interrupt negative cycles?

  • How do you seek comfort or reassurance from each other?

Shifting Roles & Expectations

  • What are your hopes and fears around parenting?

  • How will you divide responsibilities
    and support each other?

  • What does “showing up” look like in
    this new season?

Mental & Emotional Health

  • Are there histories of anxiety, depression, or trauma that may impact this transition?

  • How do each of you cope with stress?

  • What does emotional support look like for each of you?

Preparing for Parenthood

  • How do you want to parent as a team?

  • What does bonding with baby look like for each partner?

  • How can you stay connected as a couple once baby arrives?

You don’t need to have all the answers - that’s what we’ll explore together.

Who is this for?

Our Nashville-area perinatal counseling is ideal for:

  • First-time parents who want to start strong

  • Couples who’ve already experienced relational stress during pregnancy

  • Partners preparing for fertility treatments, adoption, or surrogacy

  • Couples with a history of loss, trauma, or postpartum struggles

  • Anyone who wants to feel closer, safer, and more supported in their relationship


Our Approach: Warm, Collaborative and Real

Therapy shouldn’t feel clinical or cold - especially during a time as tender as this. Our sessions are warm, informal, and focused on real connection. We laugh, we cry, we get honest. There’s no judgment - just space to be yourself and show up for each other.

You don’t have to know exactly what you’re doing. You don’t need a perfect relationship. You just need the willingness to show up - and we’ll meet you there.


Frequently Asked Questions About Perinatal
& Prenatal Couples Counseling

  • Perinatal counseling is a type of therapy that supports couples during pregnancy and in the first two years after birth. It focuses on strengthening your relationship, improving communication, and preparing for the emotional and practical changes that come with becoming parents.Description text goes here

  • Prenatal couples counseling is tailored specifically for expectant parents. While it still addresses relationship dynamics, it also prepares you for parenthood by exploring changes in roles, managing stress, and building bonds that help you stay connected during pregnancy and postpartum.Description text goes here

  • The best time to start is during pregnancy - ideally in the second or early third trimester - so you have time to strengthen your bond before baby arrives. However, perinatal counseling can also be helpful in the postpartum period.Description text goes here

  • No. While many first-time parents seek this support, it’s also valuable for couples expecting additional children, navigating fertility treatments, adopting, or going through surrogacy.Item description

  • While counseling can’t guarantee prevention, research shows that a strong, emotionally connected relationship can lower the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety for both partners. Perinatal counseling provides tools to reduce stress, improve communication, and build emotional safety.

  • Yes. While we see many couples in our offices in the Nashville area, we also work with clients across Tennessee through secure online sessions.Item description

  • Sessions often include open conversations about expectations, role changes, communication patterns, and emotional triggers. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), we dive in deep, helping you share your longings with one another to create a lasting emotional bond. Boosting the strength of your relationship will help you stay connected during the stressful times that are bound to come with baby’s arrival.Item description


Ready to Strengthen Your Relationship Before Baby Arrives?

If you’re ready to invest in your relationship, your mental health, and your future as parents, we’d love to support you.

Perinatal counseling is one of the most loving things you can do - for yourself, for your partner, and for your baby.

Book a free consultation today to see if we’re the right fit. We work with couples in Nashville and across Tennessee who want to grow closer now so they can grow stronger through whatever comes next.